Trump’s “Muslim Ban-that’s-not-a-Ban” is Banned! Got it?

Feb. 5th, 2017 – Well, it’s been two whole weeks and Your President has already confirmed all the bad expectations we had and then some! He’s been signing “executive orders” so fast he must be getting writer’s cramp and as soon as he signs them he likes to hold them up and display his signature like a proud first-grader (look, Mom! I can write!).

Somehow, he even got into a disagreement with Australia! What on Earth did the Australians do? They don’t bother anybody! The Donald and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull argued over the phone about the refugee-swap deal between Australia and the US that was set up under the Obama administration. Trump even hung up on Turnbull at one point! Real Presidential, right? By far, though, the Mango Madman’s most notorious edict so far has been his ban on refugees from seven mostly Muslim mideastern countries (just the ones where he doesn’t have business interests, of course!)

We all saw the horrible execution of the ban-they-say-isn’t-a-ban last weekend when travelers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen were unceremoniously detained at US airports or prevented from boarding US bound flights from around the world. The order was put into effect without even notifying Homeland Security! Supposedly it was to prevent possible terrorists from entering the country, conveniently neglecting the fact that not one terrorist act in the US has been committed by anyone from any of the affected countries! All across the country, including here at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) lawyers had to be hastily summoned and lawsuits filed to secure the release of detainees.

Finally this weekend (2/5) a federal court blocked a request by the Department of Justice to reinstate the ban that had been temporarily blocked last weekend. The decison is nationwide, but it’s not over yet. Both sides can file further arguments this week. In the meantime, refugees have been rushing to enter the country, concerned that the window will close again and of course Your President has been back tweeting his juvenile tweets about the whole thing. Stay tuned!